Green Gets a Makeover

How Simple Green became a bit greener.

James Zilenziger, Assistant Editor05.28.13

It’s still just as tough on grease and dirt in the kitchen but now, new packaging for Simple Green’s Concentrated Non-toxic All Purpose Cleaner is making an even bigger contribution to environmental sustainability.

A recent 2010 study conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that out of the 250 million tons of waste (before recycling) found in landfills, 12.4% of it is composed of plastics. And although other wastes such as food scraps and paper are in greater quantity in landfills, plastics take a significantly longer time to decompose and thus have the potential for a larger environmental impact.

That’s why Simple Green’s new packaging is attracting interest. The all-purpose cleaner, which was originally developed by Bruce Fabrizio as an “environmentally friendly” alternative to toxic cleaners being used to remove tannic acid, a by-product of coffee roasting from roasting machinery, is now entering its 37th year on the market. This year, however, the biodegradable, nontoxic product has a new bottle that is expected to attract a larger audience. Not only does it have a more aesthetic appeal on the sales shelf, but the technology behind the new bottle increases efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.

“The difference is in the packaging—it is a step forward from a packaging standpoint,” said Brenda Roth, director of product development, Simple Green. “It’s a proprietary bottle that encourages reuse and promotes branding with a larger shelf-presence than the old bottle that makes it easier to identify as an all-purpose cleaner.”

Some of these new changes to the bottle include a label that is 8% larger than the previous label and an ergonomic, easier-to-use shape that helps eliminate hand-fatigue. Such changes are expected to appeal to new customers while still staying true to the brand’s heritage as an all-purpose cleaner.

Simple Green is also the first company in the US to use an advanced trigger spray technology, developed by MeadWestVaco (MWV).

“The bottle has a new trigger that will eliminate 19 tons of resin and 10 tons of steel usage a year,” added Roth. “There is a 28% increase in coverage with each spray, and the bottle itself includes 25% post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR).”

The new trigger also allows the user to dispense the product either as a foam or traditional liquid spray, depending on the job at hand.

As the flagship product, the bottle, which comes in 16-, 22-, 24- and 32oz. sizes, is constructed of materials made in the US “to help ensure a smaller global footprint” as well as assist local economies, according to Simple Green’s “Social Responsibility” statement. The newly designed all-purpose cleaner is expected to roll out across the US soon.